Related Content

Latest News

Mike Rutsey, Toronto Sun

Jun 4, 2011

, Last Updated: 4:11 AM ET

Following their victory Monday, the Blue Jays decided to bite the bullet and placed 1B Adam Lind on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 8. Lind hasn’t played since May 7, when he left the game in the sixth inning with lower back pain.

Replacing Lind on the roster will be OF Eric Thames, who was impressive in spring training and is hitting .342 with six homers and 30 RBIs in 36 games at triple-A Las Vegas. To make room on the 40-man roster with the promotion of Thames, the Jays designated injured RHP Rob Ray for assignment.

“It’s responding, yet he still doesn’t feel completely confident when it comes to making the plays defensively at first,” manager John Farrell said of Lind. “He feels like once he gets in an outstretched position, the stability in his core is not quite there yet. We felt like he needs another three to five days to further strength that and let the back continue to settle down. We can’t go at this day-to-day for that length of time.”

Lind will now go to Dunedin and continue his rehab.

As for Thames, the Jays elected to go with the 24-year-old left-handed hitter over Travis Snider, which is significant.

“He has continued what he did in spring training over the course of the year so far,” Farrell said. “He’s going to get some reps in left, some time at DH, but I think it’s time to take a look at what Eric can do for us.”

Thames is also likely to take playing time away from veteran Juan Rivera, who was 0-for-3 Monday and is on a downward slide having collected just four hits in his past 37 at-bats.

IN THE NIX

Jayson Nix was back with the team on Monday, but he was not in the lineup as Farrell elected to stay with John McDonald at third. McDonald has driven in five runs in his past four games and, of course, is excellent defensively. Farrell also doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to mess with what has been a winning lineup.

“We have a little bit more flexibility in the infield,” Farrell said of the addition of Nix. “He’ll be able to get in there and give some guys a day (off).”